SEX & THE PHYSICALLY/MENTALLY CHALLENGED

I had a conversation with a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago and after that I took a while to think if I should write something on this or not. What triggered that conversation was that, a crippled woman on a wheel chair pulled up beside my car in traffic asking for alms; She had an obviously malnourished child who should be about two years old with her and was clearly pregnant with another child. My big rhetorical question was "What kind of person would do this to this woman?"

Every now and then we hear stories of physically and mentally challenged people being sexually abused especially the people with mental disabilities, they are raped, maltreated and neglected, sometimes by the very people who are supposed to protect them. They are sometimes left at the mercies of strangers and the cycle of abuse and uncertainties continue.

I know that people with disabilities whether physical or mental also have sexual needs because they are human beings with emotional needs as every other normal, full-bodied, clear-headed person so I am not opposed to them being in relationships with whoever they please. What gives me concern however is the result of these relationships or affairs.  Children are gifts from God I know but why bring them into the world when you are not capable of raising them the proper way? Why would a man have sex with a mentally or physically  disabled woman, put her in the family way and then disappear? My opinion is that if anyone gets sexually involved with a disabled man or woman especially and a child comes from that union, the person should be kind and responsible enough to be a part of the kid's life and help raise them properly. Most of these kids with some of the physical & mental challenged, homeless people who grow up without anyone imparting some morals into them end up as thugs, thieves and are the menace in their societies.

I was so appalled when I heard that some men have canal knowledge of mentally disabled women as part of the money-making, wealth-seeking rituals. How disgusting!

I must commend the less privileged homes, orphanages,churches, and Non - Governmental Organisations (NGOs) who take some of these kids off the streets, and give them homes and a good life, I encourage them to also find means of engaging these ones with a view to checking the rate of abuses sexual or otherwise and unwanted pregnancies they are often saddled with.

They deserve to be treated with respect and love like eveyone else. My prayers for protection are with them.